Local yummies: Pintos

CEBU, Philippines – This special delicacy in commonly found in northern Cebu, particularly in Bogo City, San Remegio and Medellin. It is a nice "pasalubong" for travelers to these places.  These are usually peddled by ambulant vendors at bus terminals and marketplaces.

Pintos is made from ground or scraped young corn from the cob, sweetened with white or brown sugar. The special version of it includes condensed milk in its ingredients. The raw mixture is then wrapped, in spoonfuls, in corn husks (tied with a string to keep the contents in) and then steamed until cooked.

The ready pintos is usually not so sweet. But it can be made sweeter, if desired, by using more sugar, either in the pintos itself or as topping. If not, a cold soft drink or hot sweet "sikwate" (native chocolate drink) to go with it is sure to bring up the sweetness.

The delicacy can stand for two days without refrigeration, and up to a week if refrigerated. A pack of pintos, consisting of six pieces, costs P20 pesos.